Christmas Traditions Past and Present
by MagisterAkane
Summary: It's Christmas time for our heros but neither really feel up to celebrating. Until Abbie decides to try and cheer up Ichabod and suggest that they celebrate together; combining the traditions of Ichabod's and Abbie's eras. For tumblr's Sleepy Hollow Secret Santa. For runyourcleveralpha.


It was cold December day in Sleepy Hollow. Christmas was only a couple of days away and people were bustling about getting ready, their arms full of shopping bags. Snow was gently falling, frost caressed the windows, and everyone was bundled up to the nose in order to avoid Jack Frost's bite. It was truly a beautiful winter day.

Where was our beloved heroine during this beautiful time? Poor Abbie was stuck at her office desk attempting to pay attention long enough to finish some paperwork. The holidays had quickly arrived but Christmas wasn't her favorite holiday. Ever since she was a kid it just made her wish for the family she always wanted and yet never received. Instead she spends the time closest to Christmas in the office, giving her off days to those with families to spend with. This Christmas was quiet as everyone was at home with their families.

Her work was interrupted when she heard the familiar voice of her time travelling partner travel down the hall.

"Leftenant! May I ask you a question? Oh, Excuse me, I apologize for interrupting you." Ichabod walked in briskly but as soon as he noticed Abbie hard at work he slowed down looking apologetic.

Abbie put her pen down and sat back against her chair. She stretched her arms back, "That's alright; I was about ready to quit for the day anyway. What's up?"

Ichabod sat down in the chair across from her and looked at her quizzically. "There seem to be strange…things appearing around the town. I understand it is Christmastide but I do not recognize most of these strange decorations. For example, what might this be?" He pulled out one of those Christmas cards with elves dancing around a Christmas tree on it.

Abbie smiled and tried not to laugh. "Which one: the card, the tree or the elves?"

Ichabod looked at the object briefly again, "What is an …elves?"

Abbie did laugh this time and took the card from him. She pointed at the elves and said, "Elves are Santa's workers. They make the toys for all the good little girls and boys. We put them on Christmas cards because it's cute and cheery."

Ichabod nodded knowingly, taking back the card. "I see. I just have one follow up inquiry. Who is this Santa you speak of?"

"Now don't tell you didn't have Santa Claus back in your day!"

"Sadly we do not have such a character during our celebrations."

"Wow, okay. Well Santa Claus is a big man in red suit that comes down the chimney on Christmas Eve to leave toys for the children who have been good this year. He leaves coal for the bad kids. Uh… the elves make the toys. He flies in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer."

Ichabod looked at her horrified, "Are you telling me there is a man who infiltrates the homes of children! And you allow this to happen!? How has he not been arrested!?"

"Whoa calm down, Crane. He's not real. It's just a story that parents tell their children around this time. Suppose to make Christmas more magical. It's actually the parents that leave presents."

"I see. How very…strange." Ichabod went back to examining the Christmas card. His face began to turn to sadness.

"I think you would have known him as St. Nicholas," Abbie added.

Ichabod look quizzically at her, "You've turned a saint into a fat man in a red suit who delivers presents to children? How very odd."

Abbie laughed as Ichabod studied the card again. She sat there for a moment, thinking. She remembered that he would be alone for the holidays this year. Everyone he knew was gone. _Katrina_ was gone.

"Hey Crane," Ichabod looked up at his name, "What are your plans for this Christmas?"

"My plans? I'm afraid I am not in the celebratory mood this holiday."

"Well, Christmas is about spending time with friends and family right? Well, since neither of us really have anybody to celebrate with maybe we could spend it together? It'll be fun. We can combine the new with the old. We'll teach each other about our centuries Christmas. What do you think?"

Ichabod paused for a second. His eyes then lit up with a bit of excitement. Something Abbie hadn't seen in a few days. "I'd like very much Miss Mills. I believe it will be interesting to see how Christmastide is celebrated these days. I would be honored to celebrate you."

"Likewise. What do you say we get out of here, go pick up some decorations and see what we can do. Your place or mine?" Abbie filed away her half-finished paper work and slipped into her coat. Ichabod quietly followed in her stead.

Ichabod asked on their way out, "You are not yet decorated for the season Miss Mills?"

"Nah not really. I wasn't really gonna celebrate it this year. If you're alright with it we could spruce up the cabin?"

"That sounds like a fine idea. An appropriate mix of both our times, don't you think?"

Abbie smiled in response.

Abbie and Ichabod decided to stop by a few shops before heading to the cabin. This was a unique experience for both of them. Ichabod saw things he could never imagine and Abbie was amused and a bit exhausted by the whole thing. Ichabod asked a lot of questions and grumbled about most of it.

While Abbie went to pick up some lights in one store, Ichabod stopped by one of the kiosks. One necklace stood out among the others. It was silver with a horseshoe hanging on it. "May I inquire as to the price of this item?" He asked the clerk. After a slight hesitation the young lady told him the price. Ichabod pulled out the amount of cash he had in his pocket and handed it to her. "Will this be suffice?"

"Sure will! Do you want that gift wrapped?"

"That would be lovely, thank you." The necklace was quickly wrapped in a nice box, Ichabod thanked her again, and pocketed the gift. A few seconds later Abbie returned with a bundle of Christmas lights.

"Ready to go?"

"Indeed." The two of them gathered their different kinds of decorations that represent the 21st and the 18th century and left the mall. Cold air hit them as they walked outside and Abbie shivered.

"So tell me, Crane, what kinds of things did you use to do at Christmas?" Abbie asked.

"For me, Christmastide was the time to celebrate with ones family and friends. In the colonies it was also a celebratory end of the harvest season. My first Christmas in the colonies was much more different than my previous Christmas' spent in England. Things were much more calm and relaxing and there was an air of peace about. Times were not as…hectic as it is now. Nowadays people bustle about buying things they don't need just because they can. Oh how times have changed.

Abbie shifted the bag in her left hand to her right and looked at Ichabod. "I agree that the holidays have been over commercialized but some people still hold on to the holiday spirit. It just gets lost sometimes. So what did you do?"

Ichabod took the heaviest bag from Abbie and added it to those he was carrying. "Well, our decorations were not so elaborate. We mostly decorated with whatever greenery we could fine. Dried fruits, holly, home-made wreaths. Things of that nature. On Christmas eve everyone would go to church services and in the evening there would be a grand ball hosted by the most prominent person in the town. I went with Katrina several times. One time we were even invited to the home of George Washington. She would wear her most beautiful dress and we would dance all night; engaging our friends in conversation, eating delicious foods of pies, cakes, fruits and drinking rum brandy wassail. A truly elegant and wonderful time. The rest of the day would be spent with family. Children would exchange hand-drawn cards and small gifts. Huge feasts would be eaten. It was a beautiful, simple holiday."

Abbie watched as Ichabod slowly got lost in his memories so long ago for her but for him only a few weeks ago. "That sounds really wonderful. I'm sorry you couldn't be with Katrina this year."

"As am I, Miss Mills. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her trapped in Purgatory."

"We'll get her out. Someday, somehow. We'll get her out. I promise."

Ichabod smiled down at Abbie, showing his gratitude without saying anything.

They reached Abbie's squad car and piled in. The drive to Ichabod's cabin didn't take very long and when they arrived they brought all the newly bought Christmas decorations into the house.

It took some time but together they decorated the little log cabin in a way the honored the past but embraced the future. Multi colored lights hung around the outside walls, a couple of stocking were hung by the fireplace (after Abbie explained the point of "embroidered oversized hosiery"). Ichabod put together several wreaths of holly, dried fruits and evergreens. The final element was the Christmas tree.

Ichabod and Abbie decided it would be more authentic for both if they went and cut down their own tree instead of buying one. So Crane grabbed his axe and out into the woods they went. As they searched for the perfect tree Ichabod struck up a conversation with Abbie.

"So Miss Mills, you have told much of your era's holiday traditions but what do you usually do for the holidays?"

"Well, nothing really. I went from foster home to foster home. I never stayed in one long enough to establish any traditions."

"I am sorry to hear that"

"It's no big deal really. You can't miss what you never had right?"

Ichabod was silent after that. He spotted what he believed to be the perfect tree and pointed it out to Abbie. She agreed and together they chopped it down, carried it back to the cabin and began decorating it.

They used simple decorations: shiny colored balls, gold garland, white lights, and angel on top; watching out for them. When they finished they sat down with a cup of hot chocolate for Abbie and some tea for Ichabod and admired their handy work. The old run down cabin looked beautiful.

"Miss Mills, as it is customary at Christmas to give those you care about a gift, I would like to present to you this present," Ichabod stood up and pulled the small box from his jacket pocket, "Thank you for celebrating this time with me."

Abbie took the box with her jaw slightly opened. She never expected him to get her a gift. She opened it to reveal a beautiful gold necklace. "Oh wow. This is beautiful! I love it. Thank you. But you didn't have to get me anything."

"I wanted to. You are very important to me and I wanted to show you that. The horseshoe is a symbol of good luck. Hopefully it will protect you in the times to come."

"Thank you, it means a lot to me," Abbie slipped the necklace on walked over to her purse, "I got you something too." She handed him a brightly wrapped box.

"Oh? What could he be?" He asked as he ripped it open to reveal two books on the world from 1700 to the present.

"I thought you might like to see what you've missed and I know how much you shouldn't be on the internet so I got you these. What do you think?"

Ichabod smiled, "This is brilliant. Thank you very much. I look forward to reading them. Merry Christmas Abbie."

"Merry Christmas Ichabod."

Together, the two lonely witnesses spent their holiday with the one person on whom they could rely on. The one person they cared most about in this world and this time period. For one night they could forget about all the fear, pain, and sadness at loved ones lost and instead enjoy the company of their most imporant person. For one night things were happy and normal.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays


End file.
